In a strange twist of fate, destiny chose for the moments of international farewell of the two historic rivals Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to coincide within a single week, though in two completely contrasting ways.
Ronaldo announced today, Wednesday, that he was leaving the national team camp after coach Jorge Jesus confirmed his plans in a press conference. The captain of "the Navigators" sat on the substitutes' bench throughout the last match against Norway, and Jesus made clear he would not start against Denmark tomorrow, in the third round of the UEFA Nations League.
"The Don" pledged in his statement that he would reveal to the Portuguese people "at the appropriate time" the truth behind the reasons for his departure.
Read also
Former Real Madrid player refuses to return to the Bernabéu: Arsenal and Chelsea monitoring
"You are no longer a strategic player": Barcelona's warning to its star comes true on the ground
The roots of the crisis go back to Oslo. Ronaldo headed straight for the dressing rooms after the 2-1 win over Norway, without greeting the fans alongside his teammates. He then missed collective training for three consecutive days, a clear protest against being left out of the match, even as a substitute.
Press reports suggested this sudden development could mark the end of Cristiano's career with his country. The Portuguese newspaper "O Jogo" said: "Cristiano Ronaldo has taken an irreversible decision: he will no longer represent Portugal. The match against Wales was his last with the national team."
"The Don", 41, boasts a miraculous international record. He made his 234th appearance against Wales and holds 146 goals with Portugal, alongside the Euro 2016 title and two UEFA Nations League titles.
A perfect farewell
Across the Atlantic, by contrast, Messi is preparing for a perfect farewell. He announced his international retirement on 31 August, ending 21 years with the national team, and revealed that he wrote his retirement letter on 21 July, two days after the World Cup final, but held it back due to the illness of his father, who passed away on 8 August.
The Argentine Federation decided to grant him a send-off befitting him. Its president Claudio Tapia invited him to play a farewell match on 6 October against Benin, and called up all the 2022 World Cup champions to take part alongside him, describing the encounter as "the last tango".
Messi, 39, bids farewell to his country with astonishing numbers: 207 matches and 125 goals as Argentina's all-time top scorer, including 21 in World Cups, plus two Copa América titles and a place in the last World Cup final against Spain.
"The Flea" can expect a legendary farewell against Benin, at the very moment Ronaldo storms out of the Portugal camp in anger, for the last time it seems.